Stamp PDF Exhibits A, B, C With an Index

Before a hearing packet leaves the office, every attachment needs a clear exhibit label and a list of what is what. Exhibit Stamper stamps Exhibit A, B, C or 1, 2, 3 labels on a set of PDFs and builds an index of which document is which exhibit—in the browser, without uploading the files.

This guide covers one job only: order the exhibits, stamp them, fill the index descriptions, and keep Bates-style page numbers separate when both are required.

Exhibit labels vs Bates numbers

Bates numbering gives every page a running number. The Exhibit Stamper labels each document as an exhibit. Many productions use both: stamp exhibits first, then Bates the production set. Related tools for packet prep: Merge PDF, Split PDF, Redact PDF. Category: pdf tools.

Worked example: mediation exhibit set, Austin TX

• Files in order: contract, email thread, photo log, invoice summary
• Labels: Exhibit A–D, first page only
• Index CSV: label, original name, stamped name, page count, Description filled by paralegal
• Done definition: stamped PDFs match the index row-for-row; counsel can cite “Exhibit C” without guessing

Steps on Exhibit Stamper

1. Finalize the exhibit order offline (party A letters, party B numbers if the forum expects that).
2. Open Exhibit Stamper.
3. Drop PDFs in exhibit order (files over about 50 MB may stress browser memory).
4. Choose First page only or Every page (with optional “page 2 of 5” style after the label).
5. Run the stamp and download stamped files.
6. Download the CSV index (label, original name, stamped name, page count, empty Description).
7. Fill Description before attaching the index to a filing.
8. Redact sensitive pages with Redact PDF before final stamp when needed.
9. Merge a cover + exhibits with Merge PDF only after stamps are correct.
10. Archive stamped set + filled index with the case file name and date.

Common mistakes

• Stamping before redaction, then re-stamping the whole set.
• Mixing letter and number schemes without a party key on the index.
• Leaving Description empty so the index is only filenames.
• Treating exhibit stamps as Bates page control.
• Closing the tab before downloading—the work is not stored by FreeDailyPro.

Limits and good to know

• Stamping runs in the browser; PDFs are not uploaded; nothing kept after close.
• Among FreeDailyPro’s 300+ professional tools, premium applications and workflow products, this is the multi-PDF exhibit labeler with index export.
• Large multi-file sets may need splitting first via Split PDF.
• File-tool trial usage follows site rules (10 trial usages, then day pass or monthly plan when relevant).

Forum conventions

Some courts want letters for movant exhibits and numbers for respondent. Put that rule in the Description header of your index template so interns do not invent a third scheme mid-packet.

Insurance and admin uses

Claim packets, licensing applications, and board books also need exhibit labels. The same stamp-and-index loop works outside litigation—just keep naming consistent with the cover letter.

QA before e-file

Open three random stamped first pages. Confirm label placement does not cover critical text. If it does, adjust placement options if available or re-export source PDFs with more margin.

Label placement discipline

If a stamp covers signatures or docket text, regenerate source PDFs with extra top margin before the next stamp pass. Fixing placement after e-file is far more expensive than a second browser pass.

Dual-party packets

When both sides exchange exhibits, keep two indexes: Movant A–F and Respondent 1–8. Never renumber the other side’s exhibits in your own index.

Hearing binder assembly order

A practical stack order for many US mediations: cover letter, index with filled descriptions, then stamped exhibits in letter order. If you merge into one PDF for e-file, merge only after stamps and redactions are final so you do not re-stamp a combined file blindly.

Filename conventions that survive email

CaseName_ExB_EmailThread_stamped.pdf beats scan2.pdf. The index CSV should list the stamped file name exactly so a clerk can match downloads without opening every file.

When exhibits arrive late

Stamp late arrivals as the next letter, update the index row, and send a short “index v3” note. Do not renumber earlier exhibits already cited in briefs.

Redaction coordination

If only three pages of a fifty-page PDF need redaction, split those pages, redact, rejoin, then stamp the whole exhibit once. Stamping first freezes visual layout that redaction might shift.

Colour vs grayscale stamps

If e-file rules prefer grayscale, confirm stamps remain legible when printed mono. A light teal stamp that vanishes in black-and-white helps no one.

FAQ

Every page or first only? Either—choose based on forum preference.

Uploaded? No—browser stamping only.

Different from Bates? Exhibits label documents; Bates numbers pages.

Build the index while you stamp

Fill in the Description column as soon as you download the CSV, while the contents of each exhibit are fresh in your mind. A good description says what the document is, its date and its author or source, for example "Services agreement between the parties, signed 3 March". Short, factual descriptions help the reader find the right exhibit and avoid arguments over what a label meant.

Check the final set against the index

Open each stamped file and compare its label, page count and file name with its row in the index. Confirm there are no gaps in the sequence and no duplicate labels. If you spot an error, fix it and re-stamp from the original, not from a stamped copy, so you never end up with two labels on one page.

Keep originals untouched

Store the unstamped originals in a separate folder and only stamp copies. If a court asks for a different scheme, or a party objects to the order, you can return to the originals and start again without having to reconstruct what the exhibits looked like before stamping.

Brief the team on version control

Name the final folder with the date and a version number, and tell everyone that only that folder is the current set. When late documents arrive, produce a new version rather than editing the old one. A clear version trail is a small safeguard that saves a lot of time before a hearing.

Closing next step

Order, stamp, describe, file. Open Exhibit Stamper, drop the set in order, and export the index.

Need a combined redact → stamp → merge checklist for a hearing binder? Tell us on the contact page.